Movies: Past, present and future

Two of Hollywood's biggest stars couldn't pull in as many ticket sales as "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" did at the box office this weekend, because the cartoon was the No. 1 pick yet again.

For the second consecutive weekend, the 3-D animated flick featuring a band of zoo animals topped the box office. The DreamWorks Animation movie raked in an additional $35.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $120.5 million.

Both kids and adults showed up in healthy numbers to the box office this weekend, as both the animated "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" and Ridley Scott's R-rated "Prometheus" each opened to $50 million or more.

The weekend's big winner was "Madagascar 3," which debuted with $60.4 million, while "Prometheus" started off with $50 million in ticket sales. As a result of the weekend's strong business, receipts were up 29% compared with the same three-day period in 2011.

With strong sales both domestically and abroad, DreamWorks Animation's "Madagascar 3" will probably go on to replicate the success of its blockbuster predecessors. As for "Prometheus," the sci-fi epic could end up being one of the biggest hits for director Ridley Scott in over a decade.

For more on the weekend's results, check out the latest box office video report above.

Kristen Stewart proved she appeals to more than just "Twilight" fans at the box office, as her latest film beat industry expectations over the weekend.

"Snow White and the Huntsman," which also stars Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth, debuted with a better-than-anticipated $56.3 million.

The good news for Stewart was that the movie attracted an older audience, 52% of whom were over the age of 30. That indicates that the 22-year-old actress may have appeal beyond the young female fan base that typically turns up to see the vampire series.

For more on the respectable opening of "Snow White," check out this week's box-office video report.

After four weeks atop the box office, "The Avengers" finally had to settle for the runner-up position.

"Men in Black 3" dethroned the superhero flick, raking in $70 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend. The movie ended up grossing around $203 million worldwide by weekend's end -- roughly $50 million less than industry projections had indicated the film would debut with.

Meanwhile, the low-budget horror flick "Chernobyl Diaries" had a dismal opening, collecting a weak $9.3 million. To make matters worse, the few moviegoers who saw the film hated it, assigning it an average grade of D+, according to market research firm CinemaScore.

There were some success stories in the independent film world, however. Both Wes Anderson's 1960s-set quirky dramedy "Moonrise Kingdom" and the French foreign-language film "The Intouchables" performed well in limited release.

For more on this week's hits and misses at the multiplex, check out our latest box office video report.

"The Avengers" joined the elite $1-billion club this weekend, passing the massive box office milestone in just 19 days of worldwide release.

After setting the record for the biggest domestic opening ever, the superhero adventure had a massive second weekend, raking in $103.2 million. That raised the film's total in the U.S. and Canada to $373.2 million, and combined with the movie's $628.9 million international haul, the picture joined the ranks of 11 other films that have sold over $1 billion worth of tickets.

With so many moviegoers still interested in the likes of Thor and Captain America, there wasn't much attention paid to Johnny Depp and his "Dark Shadows." The Tim Burton-directed vampire comedy grossed a disappointing $28.8 million upon its debut, less than industry estimates had predicted heading into the weekend.

Why didn't more fans turn up to see Depp's latest flick? Check out this week's box office video report for more.

"The Avengers" made history at the box office this weekend, as the superhero epic had the biggest domestic debut ever -- not adjusting for inflation -- with its massive $200.3-million take.

The film appealed to both young and old, as 50% of the crowd was over the age of 25. Those who saw the movie, which features beloved characters like Iron Man, Captain America and the Hulk, loved it -- assigning it a perfect average grade of A+, according to market research firm CinemaScore.

The movie starring A-listers like Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson didn't disappoint overseas, either, where the picture has already collected $441.5 million in just 12 days of release.

So how did "The Avengers" become a worldwide event at the box office? Check out this week's box office video report for details.

"Think Like a Man" topped the box office for the second consecutive weekend, despite the arrival of four new and diverse films.

The ensemble relationship comedy claimed the No. 1 spot yet again, raking in an additional $18 million and raising its overall tally to $60.9 million. "The Five-Year Engagement," a romantic comedy starring Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, was expected to be the most popular movie in theaters this weekend — but instead it grossed a lackluster $11.2 million.

Three other new films all had underwhelming debuts as well, including "The Pirates! Band of Misfits," a 3-D stop-motion animated film that cost $30 million more to make than "Engagement" but collected $11.4 million this weekend. The Jason Statham action flick "Safe" sold only $7.7 million worth of tickets, and the John Cusack horror film "The Raven" scared up a soft $7.3 million.

Why didn't this weekend's new offerings score with audiences? Check out this week's box office video report for more.

No movie has yet to topple "The Hunger Games" at the box office, though "The Three Stooges" came close over the weekend.

The fantasy epic starring Jennifer Lawrence pulled in $21.5 million, while the trio of jokesters grossed $17.1 million. The reign of "The Hunger Games" will likely come to an end next weekend with the debut of Zac Efron's romantic tear-jerker, "The Lucky One."

Meanwhile, "Stooges" marked the biggest debut in more than a decade for Bobby and Peter Farrelly, the brother directing team behind the movie. The filmmaking pair have struggled to find their footing at the box office in recent years after the blockbuster success of their early '90s films like "Dumb & Dumber" and "There's Something About Mary."

For more on how their new film fared at the box office, check out this week's video report.

It's been three weeks since "The Hunger Games" hit theaters, but American moviegoers have yet to tire of the Suzanne Collins adaptation.

For the third consecutive weekend, the fantasy epic topped the box office, raking in an additional $33.5 million. That means the film has now surpassed the $300-million milestone in the U.S. and Canada alone.

The success of "The Hunger Games" negatively impacted "American Reunion" and "Titanic 3-D," which debuted over the weekend. The fourth installment in the raunchy comedy franchise, "Reunion" sold only about $21 million in tickets, while the 3-D version of James Cameron's classic took in a so-so $17 million.

So are audiences totally over '90s reboots? Check out this week's box office video report for more.

"The Hunger Games" was the dominant force at the box office for the second consecutive weekend, blowing by the quarter-billion-dollar mark after just 10 days in release.

The film about teens battling one another for survival did so well that two new films suffered: the 3-D sequel "Wrath of the Titans" and the Snow White adaptation "Mirror Mirror." The follow-up to 2010's "Clash of the Titans" collected $34.2 million, while the modern spin on the fairy tale only grossed $19 million.

The latter film was another box office dud for Julia Roberts, who plays the evil Queen in "Mirror Mirror." After appearing in a string of flops, can the actress retain her A-list status? Check out this week's box office video report for more.